NCAA Tournament: Middle Tennessee takes down Minnesota

Associated Press

Posted:
03/16/2017 05:10:04 PM MDT

Updated:
03/16/2017 05:10:20 PM MDT

Middle Tennessee State's JaCorey Williams celebrates during the second half of a first-round in the NCAA Tournament against Minnesota on Thursday in Milwaukee. Middle Tennessee State won 81-72. (Morry Gash / Associated Press)

Twelfth-seeded Middle Tennessee proved it was no one-year wonder after upsetting Michigan State as a No. 15 seed last March.

The Blue Raiders (31-4) instead played like seasoned NCAA veterans with the way they held off the Gophers' comeback attempt from a 17-point deficit in front of a loud and large contingent of Minnesota fans.

Upshaw responded with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and a reverse layup during a 7-3 run to help give Middle Tennessee a 10-point lead with 3:40 left.

Coach Kermit Davis' club will move on to face No. 4 seed Butler in the second round on Saturday.

A season of redemption came to an end for fifth-seeded Minnesota (24-10), which bounced back from an eight-win season in 2015-16 to return to the NCAAs.

Amir Coffey had 17 points to lead Minnesota, while Dupree McBrayer added 16.

But the Gophers got in trouble after 6-foot-10 center Reggie Lynch, the Big Ten defensive player of the year, went to the bench with foul trouble.

The athletic Blue Raiders attacked the lane with Lynch sidelined, then held on after Minnesota charged back from the double-digit deficit. It was an upset by seeding only since Middle Tennessee has proven it can keep up with any team.

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Trailing 37-31 at halftime, Minnesota was still in relatively good shape given that Lynch played just 9 minutes because of foul trouble. The Gophers had just two first-half turnovers, but shot 38 percent from the field (10 of 26) in the period.

No. 4 Butler 76, No. 13 Winthrop 64

MILWAUKEE — Avery Woodson scored 18 points and tied a career high with six 3-pointers in his NCAA Tournament debut to lead Butler to a win over Winthrop.

Woodson, a graduate transfer from Memphis, hit five 3s in the first half to help the fourth-seeded Bulldogs build a 14-point halftime lead.

A 12-2 run in the middle of the second half gave Butler a 60-43 lead with less than 8 minutes left and put the game out of reach for the 13th-seeded Eagles.

Xavier Cooks had 23 points to lead Big South champion Winthrop (26-7).

Butler (24-8) looked comfortable all afternoon at the Bradley Center, the home of Big East rival Marquette. The last time the Bulldogs played in Milwaukee, Woodson scored 17 points in a 68-65 victory over Marquette last month.

One more win in Milwaukee and Butler could advance to their fifth Sweet 16 since 2003.

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